Students stage sit-in outside governor's office

Dozens of students gathered outside of Gov. Doug Ducey's office at the state Capitol on Wednesday, demanding they spe...

Posted: Mar 16, 2018 1:12 AM

Updated: Mar 16, 2018 1:12 AM

Dozens of students gathered outside of Gov. Doug Ducey's office at the state Capitol on Wednesday, demanding they speak to him about gun legislation.

"We! Want! Doug Ducey!" the group chanted as they sat in Ducey's lobby.

They got even more upset when Ducey tweeted about the Arizona Cardinals releasing Tyrann Mathieu instead of meeting with them.

"Doug Ducey where you at?! The youth are here!" they chanted.

Ducey's spokesman Daniel Scarpinato tweeted out he wasn't at the state Capitol at the time of the protest.

The sit-in comes after the demonstrators met with members of the state Legislature on Wednesday.

They want gun legislation passed that includes banning "bump stocks," expanded background checks and more school counselors to help students with mental health problems.

After being at the state Legislature, the protesters went to the eighth floor of the Executive Tower where Ducey's office is.

They wanted a face-to-face meeting with the governor. Only one of Ducey's top aides came out and talked to them. Again, Ducey wasn't there. Some students said they felt slighted because they didn't talk to Ducey.

" I feel disappointed, a little silenced," said Bianca Ren, one of the protesters.

"Although it's discouraging, I feel empowered in a way because I know we're going to get somewhere," said another protester, Samantha Lekberk.

After a while, the protesters took the elevator back down on their own. Everything ended peacefully.